Oliver Perez accepts a minor league rehab assignment from the Mets and will pitch Wednesday night for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets.

Though future conflicts with Oliver Perez about his role in the Mets organization are possible, the pitcher and team have avoided one argument: Perez has consented to a minor league rehabilitation assignment, and will pitch Wednesday for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets of the Gulf Coast League.

The Mets have 30 days to activate Perez, on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right knee. He is expected to throw approximately 90 pitches Wednesday night, said GM Omar Minaya.

"This is going to be a first step, because he's under the lights, under competition," Minaya said.

Perez has struggled this season, going 0-3 with a 6.28 ERA, mostly because of an inability to crack 90 miles per hour on the radar gun. Asked about Perez's velocity during recent simulated games in Port St. Lucie, Minaya said, "I don't know about velocity. It's going to be about pitch quality."

Earlier this season, drama ensued when Perez exercised his collectively bargained right to refuse a trip to the minors. After the 28-year-old lefthander was ineffective in the rotation, the Mets sent him to the bullpen and worked to convince Perez to accept a demotion to work on recovering his fastball.

Because he has more than five years of major league service time, Perez was entitled to decline. Needing a roster spot on June 5 in order to activate Jon Niese, the Mets placed Perez on the 15-day disabled list with knee tendinitis - a decision that Major League Baseball, suspicious of the timing, decided to investigate (the league ultimately deemed the injury legitimate).

With Perez ready to begin his rehab assignment, the Mets needed to obtain his permission to do so in the minor leagues. Perez consented, although he retains the right to refuse a minor league assignment once activated from the DL.

Minaya said Tuesday that Perez's future beyond the rehab assignment was undetermined. "We don't have any choice," the GM said about sending Perez to the minor leagues. "We hope he's going to pitch well, and then we will make a decision."

That decision could be tricky. Perez is owed roughly $20 million of a three-year, $36 million contract, and the Mets are not willing to release him. They are also not inclined to displace any of their current starters, unless they are able to trade for a top pitcher.

Perez was unsuccessful in a brief bullpen stint before heading to the disabled list, and the Mets plan to treat him as a starter during his rehab assignment.